Zhang Qingfu is currently an associate professor at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom. Zhang specializes in computational intelligence, evolutionary computation, multi-objective optimization and heuristic optimization.

From 1980-1984, Zhang studied in the Mathematics Department of Shanxi University.

In 1991, Zhang obtained a master’s degree at Xidian University.

In 1994, Zhang obtained a doctorate at Xidian University.

From 1994-1996, Zhang conducted post-doctoral research at the School of Computers at the National University of Defense Technology.

From 1996-1997, Zhang served as an associate researcher at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

From 1997-1999, Zhang served as a researcher at the German National Information Technology Research Center.

From 1999-2000, Zhang served as an associate researcher at the University of Manchester in the UK.

In 2010, Zhang won the best paper award of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Transactions on Evolutionary Calculation.

In 2011, Zhang was elected as a visiting “Zhangjiang Scholar” professor.

In 2016, Zhang was elected as a fellow of the Institute of IEEE.